ATIGIBTC Chapter 98

Shi Qiu kept a stern face the whole time, his gloomy eyes constantly watching the surroundings, scrutinizing the dazzling weapons placed along the border. These weapons were vastly different from those popular in most mobile cities nowadays. Their designs were rather old-fashioned, and their methods of use were quite basic.

After all, they were developed based on the weapons from the so-called “Land of Hope”. It was true that they couldn’t have achieved any advanced development, but the sheer quantity was overwhelming—countless at a glance. In an age where resources were scarce, possessing such a terrifyingly large stockpile of weapons suggested that this “Land of Hope” was probably far more powerful than they had imagined.

They were very wary of these weapons. Before they successfully entered Hope City, Shi Qiu had no intention of letting their elite forces suffer losses here.

Shi Qiu slightly turned his eyes to glance at Bei Ji, who was still refusing to come out of the vehicle. Information about the “Land of Hope” was only known by the city lord of Hope City, and most of it had been passed down orally, embedded in a song that was easy to memorize.

But the City Lord Bei Ji had never taken the time to commit even that simple song to memory. So when they finally arrived here, they couldn’t find the “Land of Hope” and ended up fleeing in panic.

Shi Qiu let out a cold snort. He didn’t care much about what happened to Hope City. Even if the city was destroyed, as long as he was alive, that was enough. Back then, he had coaxed Bei Ji into escaping with all their resources and useful talents precisely to ensure that capable people like him wouldn’t be buried with the city’s fall. He just never imagined that Hope City would actually survive against all odds.

Truly, their luck wasn’t bad.

Ye Sheng issued a temporary identity card to everyone. This card allowed them to move freely between Hope City and Angel City. However, due to its time limitation, it needed to be regularly verified. Each card was embedded with a tracking feature. This was one of Hope City’s security measures.

After confirming that the tracking devices on the map instrument could now clearly display the positions of these individuals, Ye Sheng turned to Shi Qiu, who was at the very front, and said, “You may enter now. Please keep your identity card with you at all times while in the city. There is an information and resettlement desk within the city. If you need anything, you can refer to the city guide we provided.”

In Shi Qiu’s hand was the finely crafted identity card. Though small in size, it had a noticeable weight and was attached to a lanyard to prevent loss. The craftsmanship of these items was meticulous, but nowadays, no mobile city would bother putting so much effort into such seemingly meaningless little things anymore.

“Welcome, travelers, to Hope City. We wish you fulfillment and happiness during your stay.” Ye Sheng spoke in a mechanical tone, conveying his complete indifference toward them.

Shi Qiu let out a cold snort and suddenly asked, “What’s your name, gatekeeper?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not the gatekeeper. I’m a border guard,” Ye Sheng replied flatly, lifting his head with a cold expression. “My name is Ye Sheng.”

Shi Qiu gave Ye Sheng a long, deep look. This man had a sturdy build and looked somewhat overweight at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one would notice that the fat merely wrapped around a solid layer of muscle. His steps were exceptionally steady, and his expression was grim. He had the ideal physique of a perfect warrior, one who would be very difficult to deal with.

Training a warrior of this caliber wasn’t easy. Moreover, it wasn’t just Ye Sheng—everyone stationed at the border had extraordinary capabilities. And yet, instead of placing such powerful people inside the city to reinforce its defense, they had all been stationed here at the border, playing a role as disposable as cannon fodder. Shi Qiu couldn’t understand what the rumored new City Lord of Hope City was thinking.

“You may go in now.” Shi Qiu heard Ye Sheng speak again, his tone calm and even, unaffected by Shi Qiu’s silence. He simply stated in a peaceful voice, “Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Once we’re inside, there won’t be a single thing you can control anymore.” Shi Qiu leaned in close and spoke into Ye Sheng’s ear, laced with malice.

Yet Ye Sheng’s expression remained unchanged from beginning to end. “My duty is solely to ensure the safety of the border. As for everything that happens after you enter, there will be designated personnel in charge of managing that.”

“Oh?” Shi Qiu sneered. “I’m quite curious to see just how long you can keep up that tough talk.”

Shi Qiu was the first to cross the border, stepping into Hope City’s territory. The long procession behind him followed in grand fashion.

With his back to the border, Shi Qiu revealed a vicious grin. The City Lord of Hope City would regret letting them in.

At that moment, Bei Ji, sitting beside Shi Qiu, quietly glanced at him but said nothing.

As the entire convoy entered the boundaries of Hope City, Shi Qiu suddenly turned to Bei Ji and said, “City Lord, you do understand very clearly what it means for us to return here this time, don’t you?”

Bei Ji lowered his head, gazing at his delicate fingers—fingers that had been well maintained thanks to the resources only a City Lord could enjoy. He quietly curled his fingers inward and replied in a soft voice, “Mm.”

The grand procession behind them was composed entirely of those who had once fled Hope City alongside Bei Ji. They possessed knowledge, they possessed skills—outstanding talents by any common standard. Yet when they saw the vast stretches of thriving farmland before them, they all let out sounds of astonishment.

“Why are the crops here growing so well? Are they improved breeds? Even if the soil and weather are favorable, they shouldn’t be growing this vigorously!”

“Hey, did you see that? That’s… agricultural machinery! Someone’s actually producing farming machines in this day and age? Isn’t human labor the most efficient and cost-effective now? Why waste resources making farming equipment? It’s such a waste—an absolute waste. Even if the ‘Land of Hope’ has abundant resources, they shouldn’t be used so carelessly. We have to come back. We must come back. We can’t let them keep wasting resources like this!”

“Hey… is it just me, or do those farmers look… unusually healthy? That farmer over there. He actually looks even fatter than me.”

As they traveled along the roads of Hope City, everyone could clearly feel the enormous difference between this Hope City and the one they had once known. The more they saw, the more confused they became. All the despair that once lingered here had vanished without a trace. Even those women who were once seen as fragile and unlikely to survive now make up the majority of the population.

A single phrase arose in everyone’s mind—Arrival City.

What good were those women, once only used for reproduction? Letting them work would only slow things down. Just what was the current city lord of Hope City thinking?

Shi Qiu frowned. He actually couldn’t identify who the people in Hope City were anymore. Just as Wei Qixuan had said earlier, the ones who had stayed behind were merely the old, weak, sick, and disabled—those completely beneath his notice. There should have been no need to pay them any attention.

At that moment, a person up ahead suddenly raised a tall flag high into the air. With a sharp gesture, they pointed the flag in a distant direction, signaling the convoy to head that way to park. From Shi Qiu’s vantage point, he could already see the parking lot in the distance, where several strange-looking vehicles were parked.

Shi Qiu glanced at Bei Ji. Bei Ji’s expression was indifferent as he closed his eyes, as if he no longer wished to see anything.

Shi Qiu’s cold sneer was drowned out by the noise of the vehicle. From start to finish, he never stepped on the brakes or slowed down. Instead, he drove straight toward the person standing in the middle of the road.

They were the true masters of Hope City—the City Lords, the ruling class. And these pieces of trash, who once weren’t even qualified to look them in the eye, dared to try and direct them? Even if they drove straight through vegetable fields in the city, no one should have dared to voice a single complaint!

At that moment, the person waving the small flag frantically shook it and shouted loudly, “Slow down! Slow down! Up ahead is a commercial zone. Vehicles aren’t allowed to enter freely! Stop, all of you, stop right now! No—no, turn left, turn—!”

But then the person realized that the vehicle had made no move to turn at all. Stunned for a second, and seeing the car about to crash into them, they quickly leapt to the side into the fields to avoid being hit. Yet Shi Qiu suddenly accelerated. He actually intended to run the person over.

In that split second, a black figure darted out from the side, grabbing the guide’s arm and yanking them out of harm’s way. The vehicle scraped right past the guide’s toes, even tearing off their shoe. The pain from the impact on their toes made the guide cry out in shock.

“Did it hit you?” The man in a black military uniform looked at the panicked man in confusion. “Let me see?”

“No… no, it’s fine. I just got brushed a little. It scared me,” the guide said, lowering his head to check his black sock, wiggling his toes to confirm nothing was injured.

The patrol guard’s face turned grim as he watched the convoy of vehicles continue driving straight down the middle of the road.

No one was allowed to violate the rules set by the City Lord!

Shi Qiu didn’t even glance at the guide who had just been pulled to safety. He simply kept driving as he pleased. The area ahead had many intersecting roads, clearly laid out through careful planning—a level of organization usually only seen when constructing a proper city.

Could it be that Hope City truly intended to build a city directly on the ground?

Shi Qiu glanced at Bei Ji and noticed that he was looking off to the other side. Following Bei Ji’s gaze, he was surprised to discover that in the distance, there were indeed many buildings constructed on the ground. One after another, they looked just like the structures in the cities once seen in old data archives—low-rise, only two or three stories—but they struck Shi Qiu with a deep sense of shock.

Shi Qiu withdrew his gaze, but suddenly a black shadow appeared in front of him. Startled, he instinctively stepped hard on the brake.

In front of his vehicle stood two individuals, soldiers in black uniforms standing to the left and right of the car. There wasn’t the slightest trace of fear in their expressions; they weren’t afraid of being hit by the vehicle at all. It was as if, with just the two of them, stopping the car was nothing more than a trivial matter.

Shi Qiu thought he had gone mad. How could he have such strange thoughts? Yet the moment he saw those two, his instincts forced him to stop—an instinctual fear, like the fear one felt toward a nightmare beast.

“Insane,” Shi Qiu curled the corner of his lips, a flicker of crimson flashing in his pupils. He was preparing to restart the vehicle and ram it forward again with full force.

“Don’t be reckless, Shi Qiu.” Bei Ji, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. However, his tone wasn’t so much one of restraint, but rather… fear.

Shi Qiu noticed Bei Ji was afraid. The cowardly young man, after seeing the two soldiers in black uniforms, was trembling like a rabbit facing its natural predator. Shi Qiu only felt a fire of frustration boiling in his chest.

“They’re just ordinary soldiers of Hope City now. What the hell are you so scared of?” Shi Qiu’s words made Bei Ji’s body stiffen slightly.

“What we plan to do doesn’t require such aggression. These people are innocent. Don’t drag ordinary people into this so lightly,” Bei Ji said softly, shifting his gaze away.

Shi Qiu let out a cold snort, then opened the car door and stepped out. The tall, muscular man stood before the two patrol soldiers, arms crossed, towering over them as he said coldly, “Who the hell are you? The person you’re blocking is the City Lord of Hope City. In Hope City, you dare stand in the way of the City Lord?”

At that moment, the expressions of the two soldiers standing before them did not change in the slightest. They were completely unaffected by Shi Qiu’s words.

“Out of the way!” Shi Qiu shouted sharply. “The City Lord of Hope City has returned! All of you better show the utmost respect—one hundred and twenty thousand percent—to welcome the City Lord’s return! If I catch anyone slacking off or acting slick, I’ll use you as a red sacrifice to celebrate our Lord’s safe return!”

Once a symbol of power, once a symbol of strength, now that Shi Qiu had arrived in Hope City, that familiar feeling of absolute superiority returned once more. His voice was loud, echoing across the open plains.

Even though the two standing before him remained unmoved, Shi Qiu could feel the stares and hushed murmurs coming from all directions.

Shi Qiu smiled. He saw clearly with his own eyes how several farmers shrank back in fear at the sound of his voice. He, Shi Qiu, had always been the one in control of Hope City!

“The City Lord of Hope City?” But accompanying his declaration was a wave of skeptical voices, mostly female. Many people turned to look toward the vehicle. The transparent shield wasn’t enough to obscure Bei Ji’s figure, and his form was immediately exposed to everyone’s view.

Bei Ji felt his whole body tense up.

Seeing Shi Qiu step out of the car, those in the vehicles behind followed suit, lining up in a row with a strong presence, just like in the past when they’d inspect the disobedient residents of Hope City one by one.

The atmosphere grew stiff, and that stiffness only fueled Shi Qiu’s arrogance.

“Wasn’t the City Lord of Hope City supposed to have gone out? Who’s this person?” Yet amidst the silence, a woman’s voice broke the strange stillness.

Where there’s one, there’s more. One voice of doubt led to a wave of confusion.

“That big guy—is he saying he’s the City Lord? But he doesn’t look like one? Or does he mean the man in the car is the City Lord? I don’t know, neither of them looks the part to me. I mean, I feel like the City Lord should be cuter, more eye-catching, you know?”

“You’re saying he’s the former City Lord of Hope City? The one who abandoned the city and ran away?”

Bei Ji’s expression froze. He jerked his head up and looked in the direction of the voice. It was a woman with a healthy flush in her cheeks. Her complexion was even better than Bei Ji’s. She was momentarily caught off guard by his stare, but her first reaction wasn’t to shrink back in fear—instead, she furrowed her brows in suspicion.

“If he’s already the former City Lord, what’s he come back for now? To reap the fruits of someone else’s labor?” Her voice was laced with unmistakable sarcasm. “No wonder he ran away back then—truly thick-skinned. Even my old city, Arrival City, ended up being run by an AI in the end, but at least it never gave up on us. And this guy, who’s even worse than an AI, has the gall to come back flaunting himself?”

“With such a long convoy, I thought you were here to form an alliance. But now you’re telling us to welcome people who came to rob us? What kind of logic is that?” someone else added. And this time, the speaker even raised a hoe. “We’re free people now. We follow who we choose to follow. We’re not those old Hope City cowards who’d be scared of you. This place belongs to us. If you plan to harm us, we won’t just sit here and take it!”

Shi Qiu shot a fierce glare, eyes sharply scanning the crowd. Among so many people, only a few had spoken up. Clearly, they were the brash women from the former Arrival City who didn’t know their place.

“Mere tools, daring to be insolent before the City Lord.” Shi Qiu sneered coldly. They had made it inside, and now these arrogant commoners had given him the perfect excuse to establish authority. He raised his voice so that everyone could hear, shouting, “Everyone, arm yourselves! Anyone who disrespects the City Lord—send them all to hell!”

At that moment, a metallic chorus of weapons being drawn rang out. But before any of them could even aim, several black shadows surged in from all sides. The would-be attackers blinked in confusion. Suddenly, their weapons were gone from their hands, as if they’d vanished into thin air.

And at that very moment, one of the two silent black-uniformed men made a move. He flashed forward to stand right before Shi Qiu. Before Shi Qiu could even react, a heavy fist struck directly at his temple.

The towering man didn’t even get a word out. With that single, thunderous blow, he collapsed under the force, crashing heavily to the ground with a dull, weighty thud.

At that moment, the man in the black military uniform handcuffed Shi Qiu. He spoke—not loudly, but enough for everyone present to hear: “Since you’ve already entered Hope City, you must abide by Hope City’s laws.”

The entire area fell into absolute silence. The man in uniform searched Shi Qiu and retrieved his ID card.

“Suspect Shi Qiu, you are under arrest on charges of operating a vehicle in a restricted area, attempted murder, hit-and-run, and spreading subversive speech.” The uniformed man stood up and looked toward the stunned soldiers who had followed Bei Ji, as well as those who had attacked civilians. He said, “The rest of the suspects whose weapons have been confiscated are charged with illegal possession of firearms. As accomplices, your sentences may be mitigated. All of you, follow the enforcers voluntarily. Those who cooperate will be considered for leniency.”

After the silence, a wave of applause and cheers suddenly broke out from all around.

Nearby, a man in a police uniform who had been watching the scene unfold joined in the clamor. Shi Qiu had already been knocked completely unconscious.

The officer remarked, “You assaulted him without due cause. We’ll have to press charges.”

The patrolling soldier replied, “He was in an extremely agitated state at the time, and he was inciting his accomplices to attack us. I acted in self-defense and knocked him out in one strike. It was a fully lawful enforcement action.”

“Hahaha,” the officer laughed, lifting the unconscious Shi Qiu with one hand. “Got it. I’ll take him to the prison. You come with me to make a statement.”

But just as they were about to leave, the officer looked up and stared toward Bei Ji, who was still sitting in the vehicle.

Bei Ji’s face instantly turned pale.

“Is that person over there involved?” The officer’s gaze locked onto Bei Ji. The shards of fear gathering in Bei Ji’s pupils were on the verge of erupting.

“He seems to be with them, but he did not take part in the suspect’s illegal actions,” the patrol soldier answered.

“Alright then,” the officer nodded, then added, “So, why did you bring the vehicles into the city? Was it intentional?”

“It wasn’t, it wasn’t intentional.”

At that moment, a man stumbled over from one of the vehicles in the back. He was a middle-aged to elderly man. He instinctively spread his arms out to shield Bei Ji, who was still inside the car. “We were just following the car at the front. We didn’t know anything.”

“Is that so?” The officer said with a half-smile, half-sneer. “Then please turn your vehicles around and go to the parking lot you passed earlier. Just ahead is the commercial district. It’s a pedestrian-only zone. Vehicles are not allowed in.”

“Yes, of course, we will.” The man replied, face pale.

The officer tapped the car with his baton and said, “Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and go park the car.”

“Yes, yes, right away.” The man quickly got into the driver’s seat, but the fear in his eyes was impossible to hide. His breathing was labored, as if he were about to collapse.

Bei Ji whispered nervously to the man beside him, “Uncle Zhou, we’ll be fine.”

“Ah, Young Master Bei Ji.” The aging and frail Uncle Zhou forced himself to stay calm. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his hands and restore his composure.

The convoy began moving again, heading toward the parking lot. At the entrance, there were personnel specifically assigned to record every item in the vehicles. Because the cars would be left in the lot, everything had to be logged to prevent theft or confusion. There were also guards and surveillance equipment; the security was excellent.

When Bei Ji got out of the car, Uncle Zhou was right beside him. Since Shi Qiu hadn’t even had the chance to do anything before being arrested, their entire group was now placed in a very passive, powerless position.

They had all just witnessed firsthand the overwhelming power Hope City had displayed in such a short time. All of them were deeply wary because of it.

Uncle Zhou stood next to Bei Ji, wearing a worried expression. From the vehicle, he had already seen the transformation of Hope City—a change so drastic it was almost like a complete reboot. Now, as they stood at the edge of the city, they could already see a great number of people walking about. Everyone’s faces were radiant, full of energy, looking as though they were already thoroughly enjoying life in this new chapter.

Bei Ji stood somewhat stiffly, his posture a bit reserved. He looked around, lips pressed together slightly, and appeared somewhat aggrieved. “Uncle Zhou, those incredibly powerful people just now, the ones who could knock out Shi Qiu with a single punch, they seem to be everywhere.”

On their way to the commercial street, they had seen patrol soldiers several times. These patrol soldiers seemed to be constantly hovering around them, tall, muscular, and exuding an overwhelming presence. At first, they thought it was surveillance, but each time they passed by, the people were different. That was because every single one of them had extremely refined and handsome features, very memorable. It was difficult to even pretend they were the same person.

Uncle Zhou’s expression turned bitter. The Hope City they had looked up at—how could it still be called Hope City? It had already been transformed into a completely unfamiliar city.

The soldiers of Bei Ji protected Bei Ji. But now, the gaze of everyone around them had been completely drawn away by the newly reborn Hope City. This was no longer a city they could understand.

Or rather…

In a world already consumed by the apocalypse, was a city like this even allowed to exist?

Their current appearance was far too strange. They wanted to protect Bei Ji, yet they found that the people around them didn’t even seem to want to spare Bei Ji a second glance. Everyone was simply going about their own business.

No one cared about them at all. In fact, their heightened vigilance now seemed downright foolish.

Bei Ji’s expression was complicated. He glanced around and saw an elderly man manning a small street stall.

Judging by his appearance, this elder at least met the basic requirements to be a member of a scouting team. Bei Ji lowered his head and picked up an item from the stall. It was a handheld ornament, carved from stone, depicting a finely detailed man and beast. And on the old man’s stall, everything laid out was similar.

“Does this thing carry any meaning?” Bei Ji asked.

The elderly man, who had been dozing off, instantly snapped awake when he heard the question. Talk about the Divine Lord? Oh, he had plenty to say!

However, the moment the old man looked up at Bei Ji, he froze.

“You… you are…” The old man’s eyes widened. “The City Lord?”

The moment someone addressed Bei Ji as City Lord, Uncle Zhou immediately stepped forward. “Are you someone from Hope City?”

The old man’s expression shifted from initial shock to something more complicated, then finally settled into calm acceptance. He gazed at Bei Ji for a long while, then slowly returned to his original, dozing posture, lazily saying, “If you’re here to ask about my past, there’s no need. But if you want to learn about the Divine Lord, then I think I can tell you quite a lot.”

That one sentence confirmed for Uncle Zhou that this old man had indeed once been a resident of Hope City. He lowered his voice and asked, “Now that the City Lord has returned to Hope City, intending to reclaim it and lead everyone back to prosperity and glory, aren’t you willing to follow him?”

However, the old man merely lifted his eyelids and shot Uncle Zhou a glance. “Steward Zhou, times have changed. The City Lord is no longer the City Lord of Hope City.”

“How is he not?” Uncle Zhou immediately defended Bei Ji. “Back then, abandoning you was a matter of circumstance. But now we’ve returned with countless resources, just to restore Hope City’s former glory!”

“Resources? Resources, huh.” The old man turned to look to the side.

Everyone instinctively shifted their attention to the surroundings: vast, endless land, flourishing vegetables, even fruit trees—everything was being cultivated successfully. There were still plenty of shops on the streets doing business. Nothing in this place gave the impression that it was lacking resources in the slightest.

It was a reality that needed no explanation. Bei Ji’s face turned even paler because of it.

“If you truly were one of Hope City’s elder citizens, someone who had always served the City Lord, do you not feel even a shred of loyalty?” Uncle Zhou asked sternly.

The old man picked up a piece of wood and slowly began to carve it. Suddenly, he said, “Steward Zhou, you should remember me.”

Uncle Zhou was stunned. He carefully studied the old man’s face, trying to recall something from his features. A memory that had nearly been forgotten slowly resurfaced in his mind. Then, suddenly, Uncle Zhou remembered the old man’s identity. “You were Hope City’s repairman?”

Though “repairman” might sound insignificant, in a post-apocalyptic world where knowledge was scarce, repairmen were precious and vital to a mobile city. But the old man had grown too old, and his failing eyesight had naturally led to his abandonment.

“Didn’t expect it, did you? I’m still alive.” The old man, due to his knowledge, was different from others. He could keep working until he physically couldn’t anymore. So now, he was nearly seventy. “Not only am I still alive, but I even feel like I could keep living for a while longer. City Lord He Fang can give me that opportunity, but Lord Bei Ji cannot.”

Bei Ji’s expression turned somewhat embarrassed because of that.

“If you choose loyalty to a master, then you should always respect that master, not betray them just because there’s a better opportunity. How is your behavior any different from that of a traitor?” Uncle Zhou rebuked sternly, attempting to use this reasoning to make the old man yield.

“Ah, I’ve lived in Hope City since the day I was born, and Hope City only ever had one City Lord. That wasn’t my choice. It was something I had no say in.” The old man leaned back freely in his chair, looking completely at ease. “And wasn’t it Lord Bei Ji who was the first to betray and abandon us?”

“That’s not true—not like that.” Suddenly, Bei Ji spoke, breaking from his usual silence and no longer letting others speak on his behalf. This time, he earnestly wanted to explain that he had never intended to abandon anyone. “I worked hard to protect you all. I wouldn’t let Hope City fall into war. I tried to keep it peaceful. I didn’t want to put anyone at risk. Even when Hope City was running dry, I was still thinking about bringing the city to the ‘Land of Hope’ to find new life. I never meant to abandon you in the end. I had no choice. I activated the beacon. I made sure every passing mobile city could find you. I already did everything I possibly could!”

The old man looked at the emotional Bei Ji, listening to every word carefully. Then he let out a long sigh. “Maybe my words are harsh to you, Lord Bei Ji, but isn’t it precisely your incompetence that led to Hope City’s downfall?”

In that moment, all of Bei Ji’s past efforts and pride were crushed underfoot by the old man’s words.

“As you said, you did your best.” The old man pulled out his phone, speaking as he scrolled through it. “All the usable labor was picked up by other mobile cities, along with the remaining resources of Hope City. What was left behind was nothing but the elderly, the sick, the disabled, and a pile of bones. Your Hope City hasn’t existed for a long time.”

He handed the phone over. Uncle Zhou took it, glanced at it, and his expression changed slightly. But in the end, he still turned around and passed the phone to Bei Ji.

Bei Ji’s already pale face turned even more ashen in an instant.

Displayed on the phone was a photo. What it showed was a Hope City that had already completely turned into a skeleton.

Bei Ji’s body swayed. Uncle Zhou immediately stepped forward to support him.

Bei Ji turned his gaze away, not wanting to look at the photo on the phone again. Uncle Zhou’s face twisted with bitterness, and in the end, he returned the phone.

The old man took the phone back and said slowly, “City Lord Bei Ji, it’s not that we don’t resent you for abandoning us, but now, more than resentment, we just want to live our lives well. Since you already cast us aside, then please let that abandonment be clean and final.”

“Do you really think the new City Lord won’t abandon you one day?” Uncle Zhou, distressed by Bei Ji’s condition, refuted the old man. “If they ever fall into the same situation that City Lord Bei Ji faced back then, the new lord would surely make the same choice.”

But the old man laughed—a wheezy, breathy laugh. He lifted his eyes and asked, “Steward Zhou, what are you talking about? Our new City Lord took over an even more devastated city than when you left, and still rebuilt and developed it into what it is today.”

The thin young man fled from the old man’s stall in embarrassment, while the old man simply bowed his head and continued carving the statue of the Divine Lord in his hands. He was old now—working in the fields was hard on his body—but carving these figures was still something he was good at. At the very least, the money he earned allowed him a decent twilight of life.

Not much to hope for, but at least he was content.

Bei Ji had never thought he would one day return to Hope City.

Back then, abandoning Hope City had already been his last, desperate resort.

Bei Ji knew full well he had never been a strong city lord. The city had merely been passed down to him by his father. His cowardly nature likely came from his mother—afraid of war, fearful of conflict, unwilling to fight other cities for resources, never daring to communicate with them either. He had always been running, dragging the whole of Hope City along in its endless flight.

It wasn’t that he didn’t love Hope City. But he truly had no power to change anything. No one could have reversed Hope City’s fate back then, no matter who they were.

He had followed Shi Qiu’s advice: he took away everyone of value, and he activated the beacon so that other cities could come and take in the remaining people of Hope City.

He had imagined what Hope City might look like after being stripped of everything, but to actually see the once-flourishing city, vibrant and blooming under his father’s rule, now reduced to nothing but a bare skeleton… in that moment, the intense shock was so overwhelming that he could hardly breathe.

How…How could one possibly reverse such a dire situation?

“What exactly did He Fang do to bring Hope City back to life?” No matter how hard Bei Ji tried, he couldn’t figure it out.

“My Lord, it’s because they can defend against Nightmare Beast seeds,” Uncle Zhou gently comforted the deeply shaken Bei Ji from the side. “As long as one can resist Nightmare Beast seeds, anyone can freely build a city again on open ground. That person, He Fang—what truly makes him powerful isn’t that he possesses some miraculous power to resurrect a city, but that they have a way to resist the Nightmare Beast seeds!”

Bei Ji slowly came back to his senses, and the more he thought about it, the more it seemed likely—yes, that must be it. If he, too, had the means to fend off Nightmare Beast seeds, then he, too, could have revived Hope City.

So…

—You must bring back the secret of how Hope City defends against Nightmare Beast seeds.

On that throne shrouded in shadow, the cold sovereign had given him this command.

In this apocalyptic age that has continued until now, while everyone was struggling and suffering, if Hope City had found a method to repel Nightmare Beast seeds, shouldn’t they be sharing that method with everyone?

Shouldn’t they be the ones to lead the world out of this apocalypse once and for all?

Why, instead, were they choosing to keep it all hidden?

He Fang… what a selfish person.

Uncle Zhou stood by Bei Ji’s side, and the people around them were all his own. But in truth, nearly half of them had already been taken away. Bei Ji was standing in the very city he had once been closest to, yet he felt an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity.

“Our time is running out, City Lord Bei Ji, the king will blame us,” Uncle Zhou urged earnestly from the side.

Bei Ji stood up again, the confusion on his face fading as he stepped into the interior of Hope City.

Since this city had already opened its gates to recruit people far and wide, where exactly could secrets be hidden?

Bei Ji pondered carefully, gazing at this place that now had no trace of the past he remembered. A strange thought suddenly surfaced—they wouldn’t find what they were looking for.

“Ah!” Suddenly, a voice rang out from the side. Bei Ji looked over and saw that a child who had been running and jumping had accidentally bumped into one of his bodyguards. The bodyguard, who had always been proud and temperamental, instinctively raised his hand to punish the reckless child.

He lifted his hand high, but it froze mid-air. Not far off, a patrolling soldier in black military uniform was staring at him with cold, sharp eyes.

“I’m sorry, Uncle,” the child immediately apologized when he realized he had bumped into someone. If this were the old Hope City, knowing he had collided with someone he shouldn’t have even touched, he would’ve already collapsed in fright, trembling and limp on the ground. There would have been no way he could apologize so calmly and respectfully.

But this child, his eyes were bright, unclouded by fear. What he carried instead was a hint of guilt and embarrassment. He trusted this place completely. He truly believed that an apology would make things right.

“It’s fine.” Reluctantly, and under the watchful eye of the patrol soldier, the bodyguard lowered his hand.

“Are you a bodyguard uncle?” the child blinked up at him, eyes wide, staring at the uniform.

“Mm.” Though he really didn’t want to talk to a child, he had no other choice at the moment.

“Are you here to protect City Lord?” the child asked, tilting his head.

“Yes.” Indeed, the City Lord Bei Ji.

“Wow! Bodyguard Uncle, you’re amazing! You actually get to protect the City Lord! A bunch of the soldier uncles here say they dream of becoming the City Lord’s bodyguard someday! You must be even stronger than the soldier uncles, right? So awesome, I’m so jealous! I want to grow up to be someone super, super strong like you, so I can protect the City Lord, too!” The child’s admiration overflowed in his expression and tone, but Bei Ji, standing off to the side, found it hard to believe what he was hearing.

This child… he had a dream? He had something he wanted to do?

How could a child be allowed to have dreams?

And then, within the reach of Bei Ji’s gaze, he saw a scene that astonished him—children, some older, some younger, all wearing the same uniform, cheerfully running out from a large gate. Laughter and chatter filled the air, backpacks on their backs. And this scene stirred a single word in Bei Ji’s mind—school dismissal.

Bei Ji looked up in disbelief. He raised his head toward the gate the children were coming out of, and above it, in bright, bold characters, it read: Hope City Comprehensive School.

School?

These children… these people—were they all going to school?

Were they gaining knowledge?

How could this be allowed? If everyone obtained knowledge, then they would no longer be controllable.

To operate a mobile city, there must absolutely not be people with a clear sense of self-awareness!

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